Chicago Blackhawks select Artyom Levshunov with No. 2 overall pick in 2024 NHL Draft
The Chicago Blackhawks have selected defenseman Artyom Levshunov with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
The Belarusian spent the entirety of his 2023-24 season with Michigan State University, where he had 9 goals and 26 assists for 35 points in 38 games, good for second in team scoring behind Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and 2022 first-round pick Issac Howard.
The Michigan State Spartans finished their season first in the Big Ten Conference, winning both games in the Big Ten Tournament and their first game of the NCAA Tournament before losing their second game to the Michigan Wolverines to end their season.
Levshunov did not get any international action in the 2023-24 season since the Belarusian national team is still banned from international play by the IIHF for their support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
By being selected second overall, Levshunov becomes the highest drafted Belarusian player in NHL history. The previous mark was held by defenseman Ruslan Salei, who was selected ninth overall in the 1996 NHL Draft by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Daily Faceoff’s own prospect expert Steven Ellis projected Levshunov to go 3rd overall in his Top 120 Draft Rankings. Ellis had this to say about him in his prospect rankings:
“It feels like Levshunov is the consensus No. 1 defender right now. He’s just got everything scouts want in a high-end defender – size, mobility and puck-moving skills, just to name a few quality traits. He led the Spartans in scoring after putting up one of the most impressive Draft+1 seasons by a defenseman in recent USHL history. And he’s got an incredible personality, something teams do find valuable. I think the ceiling for Levshunov to become a team’s No. 1 defenseman is very high, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he made the decision to turn pro for 2024-25.”
The Blackhawks finished with a 23-53-6 record in the 2023-24 season, giving them 52 points which was good enough for 31st in the league.